Potato-planter.



N'0.s45,0a7. PATENTED PEB.26,1907.

- A. s. HOLGOMB.

POTATO PLANTER.

APPLIOATION FILED 0015, 1906.

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PATENTED FEB. 26,- 1907. A. s. HOLGOMB. POTATO PLANTER.

. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 5, 1906.

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Wheases No. 845,087. PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

A. S. HOLGOMBr POTATO PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED-00T- 5. 1906.

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ADRIAN S. HOLCOMB, OF MARILLA,

NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SARAH C. HOLCOMB, OF MARILLA, NEW YORK.

POTATO-'PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed October 5,1906. Serial No. 837,656.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ADRIAN S. HoLooMB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marilla, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Planters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the produc tion of a siznple, durable, and effective potato-planter with which a furrow is dug, the seed dropped automatically, and the furrow closed as the implement is being drawn over the ground.

The invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts to be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my irnproved planter. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the planter. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal l section taken on line 2 2, Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the seeddroppers shown in the act of entering the bottom of the seed-receptacle, part of which latter is shown in section. Fig. 7 is an en larged longitudinal section of one of the seed-droppers. Fig. 8 is an enlarged per spective view of the body portion of one of 1 the seed-droppers. Fig. 9 is an enlarge; perspective view of one of the grippers of the seed-droppers. Fig. 10 18 an enlarged perspective view of one of the other grippers of the seed-droppers.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like numerals of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

The reference-numeral 1 designates the body or frame of the implement, having a seed-receptacle attached thereto which extends above and below the frame. Mounted to revolve in said frame is a divided shaft or axle 3, to one part of which one of the traction-wheels i is secured, which serves to revolve said axle when the in pleu'ient is drawn over the ground, while the other tractionwheel revolves on said axle.

The lower end of the seed-receptacle is tapered, as at 5, to form a hopper and terminates in a substantially seinispherical portion 6, having its interior slightly enlarged 1 beyond the adjacent portion of the hopper to prevent clogging of the seed. The front wall is provided with an opening 7, which extends from the top of the same to a point beyond the center of said seinispherical portion and which is intersected at its lower end by a transverse slot 8 through said seniispherical portion.

he shaft or axle 3 consists of two parts 9 and 10, and secured to the inner end of part 9 is a seed-dropper 11, comprising a disk 12, a hub 13, having a set-screw passing therethrough and impinging against said sh aft, and a series of seed-grippers 14, arranged around the circumference of said disk. Part 9 of the shaft has a collar 15 formed thereon, against which the seed-dropper is held. Part 10 of said shaft enters the hub of the seed-dropper and is provided with a clutch member 16, splined to the same, so as to turn therewith while permitting of sliding movement toward and from the hub of the seed-dropper, said hub having clutch-teeth to be engaged by the teeth of said clutch member. Surrounding part 10 of the shaft between the frame of the machine and said clutch member is a coilspring 17, which tends to retain said clutch rue niber in engagement with the teeth on the hub of the seed-dropper. Said clutch member has a circumferential groove 7 into which fit studs 18, projecting inward from the forked end of an operating-lever 19.

Many other forms of clutches are now in use and are applicable for the purpose of connecting and disconnecting the two parts of the shaft, and any suitable and common means may be used to actuate the clutch. It is apparent that the purpose of the divided shaft and a clutch mechanism therefor is to cause the seed-dropper to be revolved when it is desired to plant potatoes and to disconnect the same from the driving part of the divided shaft to maintain it at rest.

A transverse rock-shaft 20 is located at the forward end of the frame, to which is secured a hanger 21, having pivotal connection at its lower end with a furrow-digger 22 near the front end thereof. Said furrow-digger is wedge-shaped and at its rear end is pivotally attached to two hangers 23, pivotally attached to the frame of the machine. As shown in Fig. 1, the furrow-digger is lowered to dig a furrow and direct the ground to each side of the furrow, while in Fig. 4 said digger the gripping-fingers enter the same is elevated to clear the surface of the ground, the opening and slot formed in the this being the position of the same when the thereof.

machine is drawn to and from the field or Any suitable means may be provided to when planting of the seed ceases. The furdraw the 11". achine over the ground, and when row-digger is actuated by an operating-lever drawing the machine to and from the soil in 24, having aspring-controlledlatch 25, adaptwhich the seed is to be planted the clutch ed to be moved over a toothed segment 26 mechanism is disengaged and the furrowdigger elevated.

for engagement therewith, a lever 27, connected to rock-shaft 20, and a rod 27 conl The operation of the machine is as follows: necting lever 27 with the operating-lever. In After the seed-receptacle is supplied with the this manner the extent of elevation or deseed to be planted and seeding is to be startpression of the furrow-digger can be regued the furrow-digger is lowered to cause a lated to a nicety. furrow to be dug and the clutch mechanism Suspended from the rear of the frame are engaged to cause the seed-dropper to revolve furrow-closers in the form of disks 28, which on starting the machine forward. The seedgrippers successively enter the hopper are set at an angle to the longitudinal to re turn the ridges of earth formed along the fur through the opening in the bottom thereof, and when the actuating-arms successively row by the digger 22 into said furrow after the seed is dropped therein. Said disks are I come in contact with the hopper or seed-receptacle at the rear end of revolubly mounted in hangers 29, affixed to a rod 30, arranged transversely at the rear end cause the gripping-fingers 38 thereof to open and receive the seed, which is grasped by of the machine.

Each of the seed-gr1ppers comprises an said fingers and carried upward and forward and then downward until said actuatingarm 31, secured to disk 12 and terminating at 1ts outer end 1n a substantially r1ght-anguarms come in contact wlth the contact-roller, whlch action causes the gripping-fingers to lar portion 32, extending in the direction of rotation of said disk. At the outer end of be separated, so as to release the seed and each of said arms inwardly and outwardly permit the same to drop into the furrow.

directed curved and slotted extensions 33 The disk closers then come into action to and 34, respectively, are formed, and extendclose tlhe furrow, thus planting the seed in the soi ing from the arm mid-length of said extensions curved o posite lateral extensions 35 Having thus described my invention, What I claim is are formed. he latter pass into the hopper or seed-receptacle through the transverse 1. In a potato-planter, the combination of a seed-receptacle having an opening in its slot 8, formed in the bottom thereof.

Each of the arms 31 are slotted longitulower end and in its front wall, a revoluble seed-dropper extending into said receptacle dinally at 36, and secured to pivot-pins 37, passing through the slotted portion of each through said opening and comprising a body portion and seed-grippers provided with inarm, are oppositely-directed gripping-fingers 38, which extend through the slots in the exwardly and outwardly directed curved extensions and pivoted cooperating grippingtensions 33 and 34 and are curved to contact fingers held normally in closed position, one

at their outer ends, each of said gripping fingers terminating 111 a curved gripping porof said gripping-fingers having an actuat1ng arm adapted to engage the seed-receptacle at tion 39, arranged at a right angle to the fillthe rear end of said opening to cause the ger proper. The inner ends of the grippinggripping-lingers to open and take up the said fingers of each seed-gripper terminate beyond the plvot-pins 37 in segment-gears 40, seed in said receptacle, and a contact without the seed-receptacle to be engaged by said acwhich internlesh, the outer gripping-linger tuating-arin so as to cause the gripping-finhaving an actuating-arm 41, which is adapted to engage certain f ed parts of the magers to release the seed taken from said receptacle.

chine and cause the gripping-fingers to be opened and closed, as will presently appear. 2. In apotato-planter, a seed-gripper com- I prising an arm having a slot at its outer end, gripping-fingers pivotally secured in said slot spring 42 is secured to each of the arms 31 and bears with its free end against the edge and having intermeshing gear-segments at their inner ends, and a spring acting to hold of the outer gripping-finger of each pair of fingers, serving to retain the outer free ends the outer ends of said gripping-fingers normally in contact.

of said fingers in contact to close the same.

Arranged transversely of the machine is'a 3. In a potato-planter, a seed-gripper comprising an arm having a slot at its outer end rod 43, secured in hangers 44, depending and longitudinal and transverse extensions, a

from the frame, and on said rod is a contactroller 45, with which the actuating-arms 41 pair of gripping-fingers pivotally secured in said slot and connected to move in unison,

of the seed-grippers engage when the seed- When l one of said gripping-fingers having an actuatthrough bottom dropper is revolved. Said actuating-arms also engage the lower end of the hopper IIO ingarm, and a spring acting against one of said fingers to norm ally maintain the said fingers in closed position.

4. In a potato-pianter, a seed-gripper comprising an arm having an angular end portion and a slot through said end portion and having longitudinal and transverse extensions, a

pair of gripping-fingers pivotaily secured in' said siot and having their adjacent or inner ends provided with internieshing gear-segments and their outer free ends in contact, one of said gr1pp1ng-fil1gers having an actuatand a flat spring secured to said arm ing-arrn,

with its free end against one of and bearing said gripping-fingers and serving to maintain I 5 the outer free ends of said fingers in contact.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ADRIAN S. HOLCOMB.

W itnesses L. C. LABER, H. WV. LABER. 

